More User Reviews:

330cl bottle, Lot B, bottled 9/09. In a snifter it was a hazy deep amber color with a small film of head. An aroma of fruit and spice. The taste was orange, with cinnamon/clove/pepper flavors. The peppery taste persisted for quite some time, and made the mouthfeel a bit on the harsh side. Enjoyable enough, but one and done for me.

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into an over-sized wine glass. Moderate pour yields a minimal skim of a head that collects around the edges of the glass. Impressive lace, color is a dark clouded orange amber with a massive amounts of suspended sediment.

pours out a deep murky orange color, lots of sediment. a little red in the light. thin yet some what retentive head. doesnt really leave much lacing. not the huge billowy head im used to with this style.

candied malt sweetness, a bit of caramel, a nice doughy/ bready flavor, some slightly restrained yeast phenols and the slightest hint of spice. some wine like notes as well, maybe a little apple and pear. warming finish.

bigger side of medium bodied. couldve used a touch more carbonation and a slightly dryer finish.

pretty right on for the style, nicely made. i look forward to the reserva.

A 330ml bottle with no visible BB date (Lot 2621080611). 2011 vintage. Purchased ages ago from a Belgian webshop. Described on the label as a blonde ale with herbs and spices, and features an image of Jesus in a santa hat.

Poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottle conditioned. A very hazy marmalade-amber colour with good carbonation. Produces a huge head of creamy white foam with excellent retention; this slowly subsides to a surface layer. Aroma of caramel malt with notes of fruity yeast esters, earthiness, sugar, mild clove, hints of spice, faint herbs and stewed hops. Slightly sweet, with a subtle warming whiff of alcohol.

Tastes of sweet caramel malt with a fruity character and a very dry finish. Notes of earthy yeast, fruity esters, sugar, mild spice, faint herbs and stewed hops. The spices seem muted and indistinct. A subtle hint of booze in the background, followed by a mild bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is velvety smooth, dry and lightly tingly, with a lovely body that envelops the tongue. Highly astringent, with an aftertaste of sweet malt, earthy yeast and faint spice/herbs.

Pretty good - a solid brew with excellent balance. Perhaps a tad too dry. The spices and herbs seem to have faded to the point where they cannot be individually discerned, but the overall flavour is pleasant. The alcohol is very well hidden, and contributes only slightly to the aroma/flavour. Not the most amazing Christmas brew in the world, but a decent, well-crafted beer. Worth sampling if you come across it.

Pours a cloudy brown-copper color with a one-finger off-white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of sugar-coated pears along with other slightly darker fruits with an underlying earthiness.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Medium fruit and Belgian candi sugar are backed by earthy malts. There are also good amounts of dark spices - nutmeg and maybe cinnamon. As it warms the spices become even more prevalent. Ending is on the sweet side and is pretty crisp.

Mouthfeel is very good. It has a great thickness with active carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I didn't have a problem finishing the bottle and could have a few more.

Overall I was impressed with this beer - a good attempt at a lighter Christmas beer. Worth a shot.

Pours a cloudy yellow-brown. Decent head which fades quickly and leaves nice lacing. Aroma is really interesting, and hard to describe. Hoppy and malty on the tongue, definitely tasting the spices as well. Alcohol warms you at the back of the throat. Overall a damn good beer.

Sampled at the Kierstbierfestival in Essen, Belgium a few weeks back. The beer poured a bronze color into my snifter with a slight off white head. There was a port like nose to the beer, high abv aroma. The taste was pretty hot, alcoholy but not to the point that it was all I got. The taste was also a bit citrusy with some grapefruit and a touch of sweetness as well. A very interesting beer that I am glad I got a chance to try.

First beer of the evening at The Trappist in Oakland. I'm glad I had it first as it had great flavor.

The beer was a moderately cloudy orange, tending towards amber. The smell was wonderful, full of spice and yeast flavors. The taste was complex and up front without being overpowering. It was a very easy beer to drink and my glass was empty before I wanted it to be.

A - A nice dark amber colored hazy beer beer with a decent head that is just a bit off white. No carbonation visible. The beer in total looks very appealing. Although the head is slowly retracting until only a thin pitiful layer remains.

S - Strong smell of Belgian yeast and alcohol. Caramel, vigs, raisins, some citrus and chocolate are also present. The smell is also a bit sweet-like with a hit of toffee.

T - A nice spicy beer with lots of cinnamon and yeast. Sweet caramel, toffee, brown sugar, some citrus, warming alcohol and god knows what else is in this beer. A lovely mix thats for sure.

M - Medium-thick body with a good amount of carbonation.

O - This a good stuff. It s a complex thirst quencher that you can also enjoy after a good meal, in the morning, just out of bed, in the evening, at work etc. I just can't wait to try the reserva version.

Pours peachy golden with very white topping, and lace on the way down. Some spiciness in the nose, and certainly in the taste, as cinammon and sugar and cardamon impart sweetness. Livey carbonation that adds to mouthfeel. Quite tasty and drinkable, dangerous 10% that feels and tase a bit boozy.Pricey bottle from Premiere Gourmet.

The flavors closely follow the nose. In addition, mid-palate I detect pear brandy, and a mixture of floral/herbal noble hops for balance. Pale malt and alcohol combine to form a sort of medicinal note. Finish is sweet, spicy, and doughy.

Creamy, medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. A bit syrupy, and yet somehow thin if not granular.

A little cloying (reminds me of some of the less impressive tripels I've tried) though the hops and yeast help to increase the drinkability. The ABV isn't solventy really, but it is a bit hot (though this works for me as a Winter beer).

Poured from the 330ml bottle into a Duvel tulip glass. Body is a hazy orange with yellow highlights, topped by half a finger of creamy white head. Sweet aroma of bready malt and a good dose of spices (clove, allspice, pepper). Palate is mildly sweet up front, full of bready malt and more aromatic spices. The hops come through on the swallow, providing a light bitterness that helps offset the sweetness just enough. The finish is quite heavy on a white pepper flavor, but is still pleasant, and leaves a lingering bitterness from the subdued hop profile. Body is light and airy, yet not foamy - it's just perfect to convey the myriad flavors held within the beer. Even though this is billed as a 10% winter ale, it goes down very easily, and is a pleasant change from the usual slate of dark, over-spiced holiday ales.